One Wish
So, um, yeah ... about that wait ... I was in a horrible slump, but, happy Akuroku day. I think I may have my spark back. Maybe. For now. And besides, I'm keepin' this realtime. :D
Chapter 12 - Trauma
Roxas let his eyes slip closed, letting the summer heat sooth the pain in his chest. He could hear pots and pans rattling in the kitchen and he didn't want to know what his little brother was doing to Riku a room away.
His breathing was shallow and becoming more so every day. It was scaring him, but he blamed it on the stress. Eight months had passed since his father had been killed and Roxas was wearing himself thin; working two jobs to keep the cupboards filled with food for his brother, himself, and Riku.
Sora peeked around the corner into the living room where Roxas lay. He whispered the blonde's name, just loud enough to get his attention but quiet enough not to wake him if he were actually asleep. A blue eye opened to show Sora he had his brother's attention.
"Me and Riku are gonna make some pancakes for dinner. Want some?"
The blonde wasn't the least bit hungry and had been eating noticeably less over the weeks, but he refused to let Sora know about his ailments. "Sure, just one though. Had a late lunch." A lie; he hadn't had lunch.
"You didn't have lunch..." Sora's eyebrows came together in concern. "Me and Riku've been watching the food and the dishes and you haven't touched either unless we make it for you. And you are taking a lot of naps lately. And you've been having trouble breathing. We can hear that when we're watching T.V., you know." Sora ticked the observations off on his fingers.
Roxas' chest tightened and a ball of worrisome guilt bounced around his stomach. He felt sick. He couldn't even bother denying it. He couldn't look at Sora's hurt, worried, scared face, either. "Just a cold."
"Roxas, if you're sick, you need to tell me. Please. I don't want what happened to Mom to happen to you too." Sora came over to sit by his brother's legs, Riku replacing him in the doorway. Roxas tried to smile at his younger brother, but it turned into a wince as his stomach churned. He curled into himself, clutching at his stomach despite how badly he wanted to shield his pain. He knew very well what came next and forced himself to rocket from the couch, nearly kicking Sora in the process. He made it to the bathroom just in time to land on his knees and clutch the bowl.
He didn't need to look to know that the water was now tinged red.
"Roxas?!" Sora was rushing in, kneeling beside the sickly blond. Roxas tried to flush the evidence away, but the brunette was able to see the blood before it was gone. "R-Roxas... that was blood. This is serious."
Roxas couldn't argue as his whole body shook. "T-Two more."
Understanding as the blonde's body tightened once more, Sora rubbed at Roxas' back in an attempt to soothe him. He told Riku to call an ambulance and held his older brother steady as he convulsed for the third and final time. Roxas was left exhausted and wiping slightly foamy blood from his chin. Sora pulled him close, making him lay his cheek on Sora's shoulder.
"A-Axel..."
"Hmm?"
"Need... Axel." Roxas was panting and shuddering, clinging to his brother. All Sora could do was continue rubbing his back.
"I thought Axel was bad."
"Is... but... Axel." Roxas couldn't say any more. The sirens blared a few minutes later and the paramedics rushed in, carting the barely conscious man gingerly out of the house their father had been murdered in. Sora hopped into the back of the ambulance, gripping his brother's hand. "Just stress," was mumbled through the oxygen mask. Even despite the help of the mask, Roxas' breathing was quick, little gasps, the speed of a frightened cat.
"He'll be okay, right?" Sora asked the doctor examining Roxas as the younger filled out paperwork.
"Axel?" Roxas questioned, glancing passed the doctor in front of him to search for the redhead, half delirious with the pain medications that had been pumped into him earlier.
"We need to see exactly what is the matter with him before I can tell you how he'll fare."
xXx
Axel grumbled as he tossed a shovel-full of reindeer waste off to the side, into the waiting cart. The beast he was cleaning up after nudged at him before jumping back, hoofing the ground in jest.
"I'm starting to really hate you, you know, Dancer." Axel swatted away the nudging snout. Dancer shook his head, lowering his antlers in challenge, hoofing the ground once more in preparation to charge his rival. Sighing, the redhead threw the shovel, rounding on the giant beast. He flexed his strong fingers, ready to brace himself against the shocking blow of a thousand pounds crashing into him.
Snorting in pleasure at having his challenge met, Dancer reared, angling his powerful head straight at his adversary. The jolt of a sudden stop only made him push more on the creature that had managed to grab his antlers and stop him cold. Axel snarled as he shoved back, feeling his footing slip in the loose hay. He lifted a foot to get closer to the beast and it was that moment that Dancer used a little bit of left over force to tumble the redhead into a large pile of hay.
Cursing at the nuzzling deer, Axel rubbed at the strong neck that had beaten him in the contest of strength. "You got lucky that round. I'll get you next time. I promise you that."
Dancer lived up to his name, dancing out of the barn to where his fellows were munching on the short grass of the field. Axel smirked, calling out to him, "Don't be spreading any stories, you!" Shaking his head, Axel got back to work.
It'd only been eight months that he had been slaving away from his brother, after painfully losing his bet, but it felt like the century had gone and passed already. He would much rather be off doing his own thing – nothing. But Marluxia was working him too hard for any lounging around or researching his future victims.
Grunting as another shovel-full went flying, Axel narrowly missed a short, slender man that had come around a corner into the barn. "Axel, Marluxia wants to see you."
"Tell him I'm busy. Busy shovelling shit. I can kill a man without him even knowing he's dead and here I am, shovelling shit."
"He said it was about Roxas."
The redhead rounded on the intruder, gripping his throat and slamming him against the wall in one quick motion. "Don't you dare mention that kid."
The man just shrugged, used to the abuse by now. "I'm just repeating what the boss said. Wanna get mad at someone, choose him."
Axel grumbled, but let the man go. "Get back to work. I'll see what Marluxia wants then..." Not waiting to see what happened to the intruder, Axel set off at a sprint, his whole body aching at the mention of the blonde boy – though he would be a man now, wouldn't he? He slowed to a walk so that Marluxia wouldn't see how the message had affected him. "Roxas?" was the only thing he said when he came up to the pink-haired man.
"You've got mail." Marluxia handed over a small sheet of paper, the envelope laying torn on the desk in front of the pink-haired brother. Shaking hands gripped the note.
"You already opened it."
"Just read, little brother."
Axel did as he was told, fear gripping him at the print of a weak man.
Hey Axe...
I know we didn't leave off on the best of terms, but I need to see you again. I know I told you I never wanted to see you again, but I was just mad. Really mad. Really in shock. But I've got some news. Some pretty bad news. You might already know it, but I hope you don't. 'Specially since that would mean you don't care. I really hope you still care. But please, please come see me, Axel. I need you to. I'm really sick. And scared. Don't tell Sora, but I'm scared. Come see me.
The letter wasn't signed, but the redhead knew all too well that it was from the one who had nearly trusted him. The world blurred around him and he swayed slightly. "Take me there, Marluxia. I don't care if I lost the bet. I need you to get me there. Right now."
xXx
To be Continued (I promise)
xXx
So, this kinda feels like very sloppy writing to me, but you've got to forgive me. That is one high horse so it's a hard one to get back up on. (referring to the saying of getting back on the horse ... just in case you didn't catch that.) Anyway, the next post will probably be the last chapter. And I've got it half written, so, I think we should be okay now. :D
~xbuttonsx~